Follow KPCC

Councilman Jose Huizar faces $10K fine for 2011 campaign

by Alice Walton

Share

L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar has agreed to pay a $10,500 fine for violations related to his 2011 reelection campaign. Jose Huizar

Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar faces a $10,500 fine from the city Ethics Commission for violations related to his 2011 reelection campaign.

Commissioners will vote on the recommended fine on Thursday. They accuse the councilman’s campaign of accepting four $500 contributions in excess of the $500-per-donor cap that was in place in 2011. In two instances, the contributions came from companies that shared ownership. In the other two cases, donations came from an individual and his business.

The Huizar campaign is also accused of failing to send the Ethics Commission copies of three emails it sent to thousands of supporters. In a statement, the councilman said he would pay the $10,500 fine.

"I take full responsibility for these infractions committed by my 2011 campaign," Huizar said in a statement. "The excess contributions represent less than .05 percent of the total amount raised by my 2011 campaign, and my campaign mistakenly failed to file three out of 39 campaign communications with the commission. While these errors were completely unintentional, they are nonetheless unacceptable."

This is not the councilman’s first brush with the Ethics Commission. In 2007 it determined that Huizar made expenditures from his officeholder account during a blackout period. He also failed to notify the commission of spending that exceeded the cap for matching funds recipients. He also accepted contributions from lobbyists in 2007, the commission reported.

Previously in Represent!

Represent! is your eye on how well government serves citizens and the public interest in Southern California. KPCC's politics and government team posts frequently on transparency, civic engagement, reform efforts and accountability. We invite your comments and suggestions — follow us on Twitter at the links below.